Tetraploid Rangpur lime rootstock increases drought tolerance via enhanced constitutive root abscisic acid production

Whole‐genome duplication, or polyploidy, is common in many plant species and often leads to better adaptation to adverse environmental condition. However, little is known about the physiological and molecular determinants underlying adaptation. We examined the drought tolerance in diploid (2x) and autotetraploid (4x) clones of Rangpur lime (Citrus limonia) rootstocks grafted with 2x Valencia Delta sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) scions, named V/2xRL and V/4xRL, respectively. Physiological experiments to study root–shoot communication associated with gene expression studies in roots and leaves were performed. V/4xRL was much more tolerant to water deficit than V/2xRL. Gene expression analysis in leaves and roots showed that more genes related to the response to water stress were differentially expressed in V/2xRL than in V/4xRL. Prior to the stress, when comparing V/4xRL to V/2xRL, V/4xRL leaves had lower stomatal conductance and greater abscisic acid (ABA) content. In roots, ABA content was higher in V/4xRL and was associated to a greater expression of drought responsive genes, including CsNCED1, a pivotal regulatory gene of ABA biosynthesis. We conclude that tetraploidy modifies the expression of genes in Rangpur lime citrus roots to regulate long‐distance ABA signalling and adaptation to stress.     

Effects of experimental food provisioning on reproduction in the Jackdaw Corvus monedula, a semi-colonial species

Two Jackdaw Corvus monedula colonies were given supplementary food before and during breeding in 1983. Breeding density and cavity use were compared with those of the same colonies in previous years, when no food was provided. Predation rate and reproductive parameters were compared with those in the same colonies in previous years and with those of two control colonies, without experimental food. Jackdaws preferred safe cavities with small minimum nest-entrance dimensions and avoided those with a high risk of nest predation. In experimental (fed) colonies, however, there was a tendency to use all cavities, which resulted in an increased breeding density. No nests were preyed upon by Ravens Corvus corax in the experimental colonies because supplemental food favoured group defence by increasing colony size and by increasing the time the Jackdaws spent in the colony. Additional food advanced laying date, increased clutch size independently of laying date and increased fledging success. Supplementary food significantly increased fledging success in less than half of all experimental studies on birds. We suggest that the key to this problem is the species' breeding strategy, and we show that supplementary food significantly increased fledging success in brood-reduction strategist species but not in species which directly adjusted their clutch size.     

DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE OF GYMNOSOMATA (GASTROPODA: OPISTHOBRANCHIA) IN THE SOUTHWEST ATLANTIC

The distribution and abundance of gymnosome gastropods in theArgentine Sea and Brazil—Malvinas Confluence during 1978–1979and 1988 were studied. The collections analyzed included 768quantitative samples obtained between 48°W and the coast,and from 35°S to 55°S. Two species were found. Spongiobranchaeaaustralis was the most frequent and abundant (up to 730 per1000 m3); its presence in the area was associated with the coreof the Malvinas Current. Clione antarctica was less abundant(maximum abundance: 230 per 1000 m³) and was also associatedwith the Malvinas Current. The geographic ranges of both speciesin the area are wider than previously described. Since the rangeof S. australis in the area extends far from the range of itsprey Clio, it is not clear whether S. australis can feed onthe thecosomatous pteropod Limacina (and not only on Clio, asdescribed in the bibliography) or it starves in that area. Duringthe 1978–1979 annual cycle, the abundance of both speciesfollowed neither the abundance patterns of their prey nor ofthe total zooplankton, and differed from each other. The residencetime of swarms of both gymnosomes were shorter than one month.As a general pattern, the aggregates are rapidly transportednorthward by the Malvinas Current and also penetrate the outershelf water, but they remain there only during a short periodand cannot preclude the final expatriation. So, the abundanceof gymnosomes in the area depends on passive migration morethan intrinsic population factors. (Received 9 July 1997; accepted 15 December 1997)     

Numerical taxonomy of Juniperus thurifera, J. excelsa and J. foetidissima (Cupressaceae) based on morphological characters

Juniperus excelsa and J. thurifera are considered to originate from the same ancestor. As a result of occurring in geographically isolated refuges – J. excelsa in SE Europe and SW Asia and J. thurifera in SW Europe and NW Africa – their divergence could have taken place at the end of the Tertiary, with the climate cooling. Juniperus foetidissima occurs in SE Europe and SW Asia in territories shared with J. excelsa and is similar to and sometimes misidentified with it. The occurrence of the latter two species over the same area suggests they should be more similar to each other than to the geographically distant J. thurifera . Four populations of J. excelsa ssp. excelsa , four of J. thurifera and two of Juniperus foetidissima were examined on the basis of features of 10 cones and 10 shoots of 18–36 specimens each. Results of discrimination analysis, Mahalanobis distances and cluster analysis showed great similarity to J. excelsa and J. thurifera , while J. foetidissima was more distant. The results support the hypothesis of a common ancestor of J. excelsa and J. thurifera , but suggest another origin of J. foetidissima .  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 155 , 483–495.     

Fine scale genetic structure in the wild ancestor of maize (Zea mays ssp. parviglumis)

Analysis of fine scale genetic structure in continuous populations of outcrossing plant species has traditionally been limited by the availability of sufficient markers. We used a set of 468 SNPs to characterize fine‐scale genetic structure within and between two dense stands of the wild ancestor of maize, teosinte (Zea mays ssp. parviglumis). Our analyses confirmed that teosinte is highly outcrossing and showed little population structure over short distances. We found that the two populations were clearly genetically differentiated, although the actual level of differentiation was low. Spatial autocorrelation of relatedness was observed within both sites but was somewhat stronger in one of the populations. Using principal component analysis, we found evidence for significant local differentiation in the population with stronger spatial autocorrelation. This differentiation was associated with pronounced shifts in the first two principal components along the field. These shifts corresponded to changes in allele frequencies, potentially due to local topographical features. There was little evidence for selection at individual loci as a contributing factor to differentiation. Our results demonstrate that significant local differentiation may, but need not, co‐occur with spatial autocorrelation of relatedness. The present study represents one of the most detailed analyses of local genetic structure to date and provides a benchmark for future studies dealing with fine scale patterns of genetic diversity in natural plant populations.     

Effect of ATP analogues on the gorging response of Aedes aegypti

ABSTRACT. The ATP analogues adenylylimidodiphosphate and adenylylmethylenediphosphate are 3–5-fold more effective than ATP as gorging stimulants for Aedes aegypti. This increased potency is not due to the fact that the two analogues are not hydrolysed by the mosquito salivary apyrase, but most likely to their greater affinity to the mosquito gustatory receptor protein. The analogues 2'd ATP and 3'd ATP are about half as potent as ATP, while 2',3'-dideoxyadenosine triphosphate is 10-fold more potent than ATP in evoking the gorging response. It is proposed that removal of both hydroxyl groups eliminates binding of the stimulant at the ribose moiety, thus allowing the molecule greater freedom to rotate and bind more effectively to its two other binding sites at the amino group on the purine and at the terminal phosphate. Our data demonstrate that ATP activates the gorging response of Ae.aegypti merely by binding to its receptor protein and is not required as an exogenous source of energy. Gorging response to ATP is competitively inhibited by novobiocin.     

Behaviour and stress response during capture and handling of the red-billed chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax (Aves: Corvidae)

We studied the effect of capture and handling on free-living red-billed choughs Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax . We analysed the association between bird behavioural response and individual health, breeding status, sex, and age. Active responses (aggression towards the ringer, screaming) were more common in the breeding period, and in individuals with a high heterophils to lymphocytes ratio, indicating poor physiological condition and/or high chronic stress. Adults were more aggressive than juveniles and yearlings, and females were more aggressive than males. Sex, age, and condition differences were also recorded in the spectrotemporal output of distress calls. Birds with a screaming/active response appeared to be more stress-susceptible than passive and silent individuals, and this response was stronger during the energy demanding period of reproduction. The results obtained suggest that the response of the red-billed chough during capture might primarily reflect stress-susceptibility, although a number of potential alternative explanations are discussed.  © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2009, 96 , 846–855.